Economist: Budget must prioritise housing support

Property prices continue to escalate around the country as Ireland’s housing crisis deepens.

More people are being squeezed out of the housing market every day and the additional load on the rental market means that those who can afford to pay are using an unacceptable amount of their disposable income to keep a roof over their heads.

Figures just released by Sherry FitzGerald, estimate that the average value of residential property in Ireland rose by 2.3% during the third quarter of 2017. This will bring growth in the year to date to 6.8%, compared to 4% in the same period last year.